The present invention generally relates to a method for attaching members to each other, and, more particularly to a method of forming a slide assembly by attaching members to each other using specific points of attachment.
Drawer slides for file drawers and the like are often desirable for use in cabinets and other rack-mounted applications. Such slides permit easy access to the interior of the drawer. The slides maintain the drawer in a horizontal position regardless of how far the drawer is withdrawn from the cabinet.
Drawer slide assemblies are generally constructed of two or more slide members. Sometimes a slide member is formed by shaping a single piece of material, and sometimes the slide member is formed by attaching together several separate pieces of material. One common configuration is a three member vertical drawer slide. In this configuration, there is an intermediate tie member with substantially vertical planar upper and lower sections. Slide member connectors are attached to the upper and lower sections of the intermediate member, and the connectors in turn are slidably coupled to the slide members which support the drawers.
Typically, the slide member connectors are attached to the intermediate member by welding or riveting. Other members may be attached to one another in a similar fashion. This building block approach has been used to produce enhanced features on the slide assemblies, such as increased payload capacity or greater extension. The component members are typically relatively thin elongated metal elements, having longitudinal webs, and the members are generally joined together web to web.
Typically, the members are welded or otherwise attached together in advance of plating or coating in order to reduce the cost of plating. Applying the plating process to a single assembly is usually more economical than applying plating to multiple individual components with each component plated separately before being brought together at the assembly stage. Furthermore, when welding multiple components that have been previously plated, one must address the hazard of emitting toxic fumes and the degradation of aesthetics and appearance.
However, when members are assembled prior to plating or coating, a "bleed out" of chemicals typically occurs after plating. This bleed-out is due to chemically reactive elements being trapped between the attached members during the plating and cleaning process. The close contact between the welded or riveted members is not water tight, so chemicals can enter and temporarily remain in the very small spaces between the members. However, after the lapse of certain time intervals, these chemically reactive elements slowly drain or bleed from their temporary holding places. In flowing over the exposed surfaces of the newly plated assembly, a chemical reaction takes place leaving unsightly smudges and smears. Thus there exists a need for an assembly of individual components, and a method for assembling individual components, such that the assembly may be plated or coated without incurring bleed out.